Anim8or Community

Artwork => Finished Works and Works in Progress => Topic started by: Arik_the_Red on November 13, 2011, 06:11:59 pm

Title: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on November 13, 2011, 06:11:59 pm

Without further adieu... introducing a project launching and in development...

TRANS-NEPTUNE
the Web Series

http://www.indiegogo.com/Transneptune

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/TransNeptune%20Movie%20Project/poster.png)

Yes, a science fiction web series is in development, with a combination of live acting and camera shots combined with 3DCG animation, featuring work including the use of good old Anim8or, Carrara and other, more advanced production techniques of course.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/TransNeptune%20Movie%20Project/render10-23-11-400h.png)

Per the video link at top, the "Triton Base" shown above was designed by Ensoniq5, with minor contributions of Arik_the_Red, with the majority of the modeling done with Anim8or. This particular scene was brought together with green-screen and other post-render techniques to incorporate live-action footage and bring "real" and "animation" together for the first promotional shot in the video link above.

There are many opportunities for 3DCG submissions. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Tony (Ensoniq5) or me (aewakened@gmail.com).

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on November 14, 2011, 02:12:07 am

Well done for posting this Arik.  In the past I have generally resisted getting involved in group projects or things of this type as they were almost universally under-managed and poorly thought out.  This project is one notable exception.  The script and storyboard is original and well written, the production values are professional-level, and most importantly to me the production team has already made huge inroads into the production process, with many of the acting roles filled, full storyboards complete, and many of the production work flows defined and operational.

As Arik mentioned, there remains a lot of 3D work to be completed, with projects ranging from fairly basic through to quite advanced modelling & keyframing.  I consider my contributions to this project so far to be among the best I have ever created, due in no small part to the encouragement and creative feedback from Arik at aewakened Productions and the whole Transneptune team.

You can also see more information about the project here: http://www.wreckamovie.com/transneptune

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on November 14, 2011, 12:51:02 pm

Good work on this project! I wish your team luck with finishing it!

I remember space station at 1:58 in trailer very well :) http://www.anim8or.com/smf/index.php?topic=2287.0

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: $imon on November 14, 2011, 02:34:12 pm

Yea good work so far, it's very ambitious to take on something like this! But I know you guys have can pull it off!

I'm wondering how you guys got involved with this? Do you know the director?

Good luck on what is still probably a lot of work! :)

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: headwax on November 14, 2011, 08:40:36 pm

wow, what a great project you have going, looks really pro


congrats, I'm very impressed with what you have so far  !!!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: TheBlackHole on November 15, 2011, 09:28:24 am

Anything I could help with like planets, backgrounds, textures, etc.?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on November 15, 2011, 11:11:33 am

Thanks, all! Tony really deserves the bulk of credit here. So far my primary involvement has been on the conceptualizing end, along with working to create a 3DCG production team.

A few "life issues" has kept me from being more involved on the "hard products" side, but hopefully those have passed and I can move ahead and "make some pretty pictures" now.

TheBlackHole: I sent you a PM and email regarding joining the project. I look forward to seeing what you have in store.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Raxx on November 15, 2011, 11:47:29 am

Nice, watched the clip, cool way to present the project. I'm fairly interested in sci-fi, more specifically in realistic sci-fi, so it's nice seeing this kind of thing making progress with close ties to some of the people in the Anim8or community.

I'd raise my hand to volunteer for the project, but I think I prefer spending my free modeling time on organic models and characters ;) Please keep us posted when you guys make more advancements in the series!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on November 15, 2011, 02:34:25 pm

Raxx? How would you like to take a stab at a couple of space suits? That's "semi" organic, right?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: TheBlackHole on November 17, 2011, 01:37:39 pm

Do you care if I start a new thread for stuff I'm making for this?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on November 17, 2011, 09:14:11 pm

Quote from: TheBlackHole on November 17, 2011, 01:37:39 pm

Do you care if I start a new thread for stuff I'm making for this?

You're welcome to do that, or to share your project developments on this thread.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Raxx on November 18, 2011, 12:09:28 am

Quote from: Arik_the_Red on November 15, 2011, 02:34:25 pm

Raxx? How would you like to take a stab at a couple of space suits? That's "semi" organic, right?

I wouldn't mind trying it, but only after I attempt the Anim8or Challenge. Have you guys decided on a design?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on November 20, 2011, 03:15:56 pm

Quote from: ENSONIQ5 on November 14, 2011, 02:12:07 am

You can also see more information about the project here: http://www.wreckamovie.com/transneptune

Anyone also have also problem with wreckamovie.com - not loading?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on November 20, 2011, 09:04:04 pm

The Wreckamovie site is often dodgy at login, the project may be moved to a more reliable platform shortly... stay tuned.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 05, 2011, 06:44:15 am

Further developmental work on the TransNeptune project.  This animation is a walk-through of the control room of the Triton surface base, designed to highlight problems requiring fixing.  Over 30 such issues have been identified, mainly dodgy UV mapping, texture problems and additional modelling requirements, and the scene is currently being reworked to rectify them.  The problem with interiors is that it can be difficult to see what's happening in the GUI, hence the test animation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kdjpCXtmmf4

All modelling was done in Anim8or, the entire scene was then imported into Carrara for camera tracking and rendering.  Some components were UV mapped with Lithunwrap.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: $imon on December 05, 2011, 09:23:07 am

Hey cool progress ensoniq! Great job on the whole scene. I'm just wondering if you're going for full realism or a semi-3d look?

For more realism I think the lighting will have to be improved (of course this would bring along longer render times for the animation..) by using a GI setup.
An easier way for some more interesting lighting is to add a few more smaller(, functional) light sources, like above the counters in the kitchen, above the table in the kitchen, desk lights. Also, the monitors could give off some light. In line with that you can make some corners a bit darker maybe.

The metal-texture on the wall seems very low-resolution and it is not really clear to me what the brown material on the wall is supposed to be.
Also the metal-materials in the desk area could use a bit more depth (a lot of plain grey materials at the moment)

I know this is only a first render, and its probably not your job in the whole, but the final video will need some video-filters probably, and they will add to realism as well usually.

Good job though! And youre leaving me wanting to make some space-themed things!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 06, 2011, 07:35:28 am

Hi Simon.  Pretty much all those things you have mentioned are in the (long) list of 'things to fix' for this project!  The main issues are UV mapping faults (particularly evident in the floors) and many of the materials, including the wall treatment and the 'painted grey' material that is used extensively.  The wall materials in the control room will be revised to remove the 'rivets' which just don't work, and to re-work the insulated areas (currently brown padding).  The metal material on the galley walls also doesn't work, this will be revised to match the control room.

The design scope is very limited - this station is obviously futuristic, but it must also be industrial and 'lived in'.  George Lucas coined the phrase 'used future' to describe much of the design work in Star Wars, and this was probably brought to an extreme in the Alien series.  It is relatively easy to follow the Star Trek route and make everything shiny and new looking, but significantly harder to make future technology look old.  Possibly the best I have seen of this concept is the interiors of Serenity in Firefly, though that is a bit too 'Wild West' and not industrial enough for this project.

In keeping with the industrial nature of the Triton station (rather than purely scientific research oriented) I have used submarine and power station control room interiors as inspiration, rather than existing sci fi sets.  Although there will be a holographic control interface spanning the main control room area, I figure that every system needs a hardware backup, hence the control consoles.

I plan to add a final 'human' layer to the scene, which will include things on the walls like posters, calendars, photos and kids' drawings from home (Earth), along with detritus like unwashed dishes, coffee rings on the table tops, packing cases, files and toolboxes shoved under desks, etc.  I had also planned to add additional lighting, including desk lamps in the control room and over-bench lighting in the galley, and the final shots will include full secondary lighting and ambient occlusion (which will indeed be slow to render... this animation took over 4 days in total on an i7 with 8 threads rendering at 1024x576.  This might not be a big issue with this project however, as there are no walk-through shots planned, this was just to highlight issues).

The final shots will be matchmoved and composited by a member of the team with far more skill and experience in that sort of thing than I, my role is really just to deliver 3D modelled 'sets' before which to place the live action.  It is certainly a challenging project, I just wish I had more time to devote to it to be honest.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 08, 2011, 12:43:03 pm

Tony's base is really looking great!

To those who commented on wanting to contribute... Tony's Base is prime area for work potential!

Do you want to contribute, but only have time to design, say, a fork or some other minor item? ADD CLUTTER! MAKE THINGS MORE "LIVED  IN" NOW?

Attached please find our standard "measuring stick" by which all items are scaled. This "meter stick" measures the standard for 1 meter, and can be applied to anything you wish to consider for Trans-Neptune's developments. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MUST BE SIZED BY METER STICK SCALING. Final objects can be maintained in anim8or, obj
or 3ds formats. The general rule is to design in quads, not tris, but we all know that, right? ;)

All 3DCG contributors to this project will at bare minimum be given individual credit listing by name, as a 3DCG artist of æwakened Productions 3DCG team.

At this point, the subject of money hasn't really been discussed. I felt it more important that this be an opportunity for hobbyists and amateurs to get a chance to "work on something big!"

Should this project becomes revenue-bearing, any funds provided to the æwakened Productions contributions will be divided up according to individual team members' "product investments" in this endeavor. That means that, as it stands, Tony Pinkpank/Ensoniq5 has invested something in the order of 75-90 percent toward the 3DCG team, and would receive in accordance with that guesstimate.

To date, most of my work has been in recruiting and coordinating 3DCG team members, and experimenting with Carrara in order to develop the abilities to focus on the 3DCG end products (texturing/UV mapping, animation, etc.).

I have created a few things and am quite excited to see that Tony put my cargo containers in the exterior base shots, texturing them and giving them a pretty cool, well-used appearance.

In any case, there are many great opportunities to make really cool things for what should be a very fun-to-make-and-watch series.

Express your interests in being active here or by emailing me (aewakened@gmail.com) and I'll gladly put you "in the loop" for bringing this 3DCG universe to virtual life!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 09, 2011, 04:13:07 am

As Arik says, ANY contributions will be welcome.  These sort of projects work much better as a team effort, there are things that I would never think to include but that could make all the difference.  If you have any ideas (or even better, models) they would be HUGELY appreciated.

Just a few notes on the 'genre', which may significantly influence any model design etc.  This base is very much a workplace, not a laboratory.  Although this base is used as a platform from which to deploy a limited number of 'pure' science and research tasks, it is first and foremost an active ore-producing mine, owned and operated by a corporation for the purpose of making a profit.  In all likelihood the scientific and research division would be constantly having to justify it's own existence to the corporate heads, probably even to the extent of fabricating cost-benefit analysis results so they appear more potentially profitable than they really are likely to be.

Why this is important is that because of this, this will not be a nice, comfy place to be, nor will it be bright and shiny like the Starship Enterprise (any incarnation).  Probably the closest sci-fi sets to this concept would be the interiors of the Nostromo from Alien, as that ship was also industrial in nature.  Industrial does not necessarily equal big and clunky or dark and damp, but it does equal cost-effectiveness.  Other than the 'human touches' the crew themselves bring to the place, there will be nothing on or in the base that does not have to be there, there will be limited concessions to comfort, and equipment will not be updated just because it is old, only when it is busted.

It is also important to remember that this is not a military installation, so the crew will have no qualms about decorating the interior as they see fit, so long as the job gets done.  I imagine the interior would be festooned with tinsel and flashing lights towards the end of December, with Christmas carols broadcast through the station's crackly PA system, interspersed with much-anticipated and valued recorded messages from family at home.  People might be a bit lax at putting things away, there might be coffee cup rings on tables, crumpled paper or paper planes scattered around a waste paper basket.  There would definitely be pictures of loved ones on the walls, even band posters or Earth landscapes.

Basically, think of the lunchroom at your workplace or the staffroom at your school.  These tend to be populated by people who would really rather be somewhere else, so they make efforts to improve it, even just by a tiny amount so as not to annoy the boss.  I can only come up with so many ideas, and I tend to get stuck into the technical side of things to the detriment of the 'beauty' of a scene, so any contributions that would add to the 'humanity' of the Triton base interiors would be hugely appreciated, not just by myself but by the whole Transneptune team.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 12, 2011, 01:39:48 pm

Quote from: Raxx on November 15, 2011, 11:47:29 am

Nice, watched the clip, cool way to present the project. I'm fairly interested in sci-fi, more specifically in realistic sci-fi, so it's nice seeing this kind of thing making progress with close ties to some of the people in the Anim8or community.

I'd raise my hand to volunteer for the project, but I think I prefer spending my free modeling time on organic models and characters ;) Please keep us posted when you guys make more advancements in the series!

Quote from: Raxx on November 18, 2011, 12:09:28 am

Quote from: Arik_the_Red on November 15, 2011, 02:34:25 pm

Raxx? How would you like to take a stab at a couple of space suits? That's "semi" organic, right?

I wouldn't mind trying it, but only after I attempt the Anim8or Challenge. Have you guys decided on a design?

Raxx. are you still up for that space suit design? We're basically looking for something that is not too far removed from current suit styles... Something that is still somewhat bulky looking, but not quite so.

The Triton team's suits are fairly conventional in design. The two staff manning the base are a married couple (male and female). Most of the outside shots are of Jenna, the female member of the team, as she takes a moon buggy to a mining site and makes her rounds.

Attached are the following:

1) Traditional NASA style suit. Good for reference to potential features a spacesuit would have, but bulkier than desired.
2) Guess what? Suit designs for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"... Funny how, despite Star Trek's attempts to be very futuristic, space suit designs really aren't too far out.
3) 3D model of the suit from "Alien"... very traditional and yet advanced/unique in its ways.
4) Sci-Fi with Retro undertones... has the features of the traditional suit designs, but much more streamlined. While not as bulky as desired, it's fun inspiration art... and a female suit is needed as well as a male one.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Maximilianibus on December 12, 2011, 02:13:11 pm

what about the suits from 2001?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 12, 2011, 05:51:53 pm

Funny you should mention... because yes, those suits are right in with the discussion that's been held in the production team chitchats...

Up for a challenge, Max?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on December 12, 2011, 07:58:27 pm

Thank you for a meter measure.

I'm wondering if 'SpaceTec' has already any logo? Do you need one or is there already a finished version? I believe it would add to the climate if these small objects/doors/spaceships/suits had that logo painted on, and it would appear on the screens, maps and other documents.

I think it's good idea to have it before making textures. Any suggestions and references? I may help with design.
References (my ideas so far):
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/NASA_logo.svg/200px-NASA_logo.svg.png)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Reboottitlecard.gif)
Possibly with some swooshes.

What do you think?

[edit]
BTW. 'Sphere' movie is quite an interesting reference imho. There are suits, two stations (one from near future, and another underwater) from inside and outside.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 15, 2011, 07:11:29 am

Development of the Triton base interior is continuing.  All materials are being revised and more detail is being added, UV mapping issues and other modelling faults are being corrected.  The lighting setup has not yet been revised, this will be sorted once all other revisions are complete.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Raxx on December 15, 2011, 11:39:10 am

I like the added details ENSONIQ5, but comparing the changes to the Youtube video, I preferred the orange, more "padded" feel to the walls. The padding suggests more that there could be a failsafe should there be a rupture and pressure leak to occur. Not to mention, the padding kind of stuff is more economical for transport as it's a lighter load than the heavy looking stuff you've got in the new version (assuming it wasn't mined on-site).

As for my involvement, I'll work on the spacesuit in January if no one else picks it up by then, if that's ok with you guys.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 15, 2011, 04:08:00 pm

Thanks for the feedback Raxx.  The wall texture has been giving me considerable grief.  The colour change has made it look more like moulded concrete than insulative padding, I think the problem is the 'shape' of the texture itself.  I also liked the warmer look of the orange, although this is an industrial complex it is also the temporary home of the occupants and for a short time at least will provide protection to the crew after the cataclysmic events of the storyline.  I think it should have a more 'nest-like' feel to it, not exactly homey, but not cold and hard like a subway tunnel either.  It's a tricky mix and I am hoping that more human stuff like photos stuck to walls etc. will help the scene in that direction, along with a rethink of the wall texture.

A note on the materials:  The construction materials of the base would be mostly sourced on Triton to reduce overall transport bulk.  Exterior (non-heated) structures will be made predominantly from fibre-reinforced ice, which at Triton's extremely low temperatures would be as tough as concrete (Mythbusters 'ice-boat' episode is an example of the strength of reinforced ice as a construction material).  The ice is most likely frozen ammonia and methane rather than water.  Of course other materials would be needed, but my feeling is that familar metals such as steel and iron would be sparsely used outside due to their extreme brittleness at such low temperatures.  Nano-engineered materials would most likely be used as replacements.  Interior walls might be constructed from a concrete-like material sourced in part from local materials.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 20, 2011, 11:17:09 pm

A new member that specializes in after-effects in video production gave a go at Tony's render of the interior... Check it out!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on December 21, 2011, 01:56:57 pm

Colours look better indeed, but more contrast caused hard shadows to be more visible. I believe that in final rendering lamps should cast soft shadows.

As for model - have a food can ;)
It CAN be nice prop for the kitchen. So far label does not contain any text and it's lazily wrapped around, but I imagine it can have text like: 'Protein mix NO.7' in 'Stencil' font and space company name. I added other textures, but I believe you can solve it much better with procedurals. Can has a ridge in the middle of the label that may be easily removed. For distance view subdivision level of 1 is fine, for closeups i suggest 2 instead.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 21, 2011, 02:12:58 pm

dwsel... I really like your "can do" approach  :D Welcome to being an official member of the team, courtesy of actual contribution  ;)

Nice cans, by the way... have you ever tried to sell them on turbosquid or somesuch? Too, there's a website I dabble in - sharecg.org - which has people create accounts and upload files and receive payment based upon numbers of times viewed. If you are into making items like this, it might actually pay off (eventually)!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 21, 2011, 03:53:25 pm

Heh heh... 'Nice cans'!  That's a phrase I never thought I'd read on this forum!  Sorry, dumb sense of humour.

Excellent work dwsel, I will certainly incorporate these into the scene.  The overhead lights are casting soft shadows in the scene, the hard shadows on the floor are actually being cast by the sun through the triangular windows to the camera's right.  This external light is a remnant of the external scene; the internal scene was originally a copy of the external scene to ensure everything lined up correctly.  At this stage I don't know whether final shots will be daytime or nightime, when that is finalised the entire lighting setup will be adjusted accordingly.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on December 21, 2011, 04:26:36 pm

Quote from: Arik_the_Red on December 21, 2011, 02:12:58 pm

Nice cans, by the way... have you ever tried to sell them on turbosquid or somesuch?

I haven't got a lot of models around, so I've never thought of selling anything. I consider myself quite weak modeller.

Quote from: ENSONIQ5 on December 21, 2011, 03:53:25 pm

Heh heh... 'Nice cans'!  That's a phrase I never thought I'd read on this forum!  Sorry, dumb sense of humour.

You're welcome :D

Quote from: ENSONIQ5 on December 21, 2011, 03:53:25 pm

Excellent work dwsel, I will certainly incorporate these into the scene.

Just a slight tweak of key location, after more looks on the reference - just before it'll be too late to switch models. Textures the same as in the *.zip pack.

Quote from: ENSONIQ5 on December 21, 2011, 03:53:25 pm

The overhead lights are casting soft shadows in the scene, the hard shadows on the floor are actually being cast by the sun through the triangular windows to the camera's right.  This external light is a remnant of the external scene; the internal scene was originally a copy of the external scene to ensure everything lined up correctly.  At this stage I don't know whether final shots will be daytime or nightime, when that is finalised the entire lighting setup will be adjusted accordingly.

For visualization works I still give sunlight slightly soft shadows. It's a bit slower but it's not that disturbing. Possibly regular person watching a movie wouldn't noticed difference either, but eye sharpens with experience and people working with 3d would spot it easily and express it into comments questioning quality of whole work...

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Arik_the_Red on December 21, 2011, 05:31:15 pm

Tony, have you ever looked to see how Triton's day/night cycle works?

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on December 21, 2011, 09:20:02 pm

dwsel - agreed re the soft shadows for sunlight, in this case it has been left hard for rendering speed while the lighting setup remains unfinished.

Arik - Much like Earth's Moon, Triton is orbitally locked to Neptune so one hemisphere always faces Neptune.  It's orbital period is a bit over 5 Earth days, so effectively it would experience a day/night cycle of the same period.  Due to it's (and Neptune's) orbital inclination it does experience seasons, at the solstices the pole experiencing 'winter' would not see much of the Sun at all, and then only very low on the horizon.  Neptune itself would also occlude Triton on a 5-daily basis, this would be particularly prevalent at each equinox and would mean the Neptune-facing side would not see the Sun very much at all.

If I have time I might build this as a script-based animation to visualise what's going on, the angles and occlusion data are difficult to visualise.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on January 27, 2012, 10:54:07 pm

Work is continuing (slowly) on improving the interiors of the Triton base.  Here are a couple of WIPs showing Dwsel's cans  in the galley and some file cabinets and gas tank/compressor/whatever in the control room 'north corridor'.  All modelling (and basic UV mapping) in Anim8or, complex UV mapping in Lithunwrap, texture processing in Corel Draw/Photo Paint and rendering in Carrara.

I have returned to the orange/tan walls for the control room to warm things up a bit, but with a revised texture.  The galley walls remain concrete but they might change to the same padded look down the track.  Above each door is an exit sign with temperature and pressure displays, these can change to red during lockdown.  The tabletop laminex has been revised to a lighter colour with coffee cup rings and photos from home have been stuck on the wall.  The District 9 poster was just a bit of fun, depending on copyright etc. it will probably have to be replaced with a different image.  There are still gaps on the walls which will be filled with maybe a calendar, some sort of roster sheet, maybe some kids drawings from nieces or nephews, I dunno, still working on ideas here (help appreciated).

The lighting has not been finalised and probably won't be until we start filming the live action, as both will need to match as closely as possible.  Light AO only has been included in the renders, not full secondary lighting, in the interests of render speed (about 2 minutes each).  The only post-render processing was some tone equalisation and a bit of flare around the lights.

As always, contributions and comments/crits etc. of any sort are welcome!

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on January 28, 2012, 10:21:00 am

Yes, probably poster won't pass... I think I could make a poster like "Humanity/SpaceTec wants YOU!": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Unclesamwantyou.jpg but I would need a render of astronaut suit (the kind will be used in the production) with finger pointing towards camera for that task.

Here are my suggestions on the first image:

- tables are burned out totally, they could have darker texture or I imagine anisotropic brushed metal like on the overpaint on the top
(examples:
http://www.unifycommunity.com/wiki/index.php?title=Anisotropic_Highlight_Shader
http://www.inka3d.com/examples/BrushedMetal.html
http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/rsrc/Three/AnisotropicLighting/brushedmetal.jpg
http://forum.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=160644&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20
maps:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sightrays/2249132981/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sightrays/2249068551/
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-10386262/stock-photo-a-perfect-tiling-seamless-brushed-metal-texture.html )
and directional brushed metal on the leg.

- random patches of dirt on in the grooves on the floor (maybe a little bit more in the corners)

- metal reflections on the keys of cans (a bit more contrast), tops may be plainly painted with matte white like now

- walls in strategic places beveled and more variety (procedural maybe) in the textures. It can be especially seen on the second image where there's a closeup of wall in the front plane and it just screams - 'I have sharp edge and low texture resolution!'

- minor problem of texture filtering on the floor on second image, though I'm aware that's only preview, so things like that can happen with lower AA


Do props like coffee machine are also considered for the kitchen? I could make something like that.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on January 29, 2012, 12:57:13 am

Thanks for the feedback dwsel, much appreciated.  I am also waiting for somebody to claim the suit design so I can fit out the suiting-up area near the main airlock.

Re the points you have made:

- Table texture: anisotropic textures are notoriously hard to simulate.  I have tried this before in Carrara with limited success, and it involved a very complex (slow) shader setup.  Since at this stage I have no idea what shots (if any) will actually be taken in the galley I am reluctant to overload the renderer unnecessarily.  The galley could just be background, glimpsed from the control room through the open doorway, with no actual close-up shots.

The overcooked texture fault in the previous render was due to an over-bright lighting setup resulting from the large number of overhead lights.  I have adjusted this, though again the lighting setup is not yet finalised as it needs to match the live shots (and vice-versa).

The table leg and seat base material has also been revised.

- The floor texture has been revised to make it look less pristine.  Again, as it is unlikely that the floor will be seen in the final shots, I am reserving further work until the shot schedule is complete.

- The cans were actually a dull aluminium in the previous shots, the flat white appearance was the result of the uniform soft lighting (that's why photographers choose this lighting setup!).  I have revised the material a bit and lowering the overall light level also served to improve the metallic appearance.  I have also revised the key colour to be more metallic, but again this is not really apparent due to the flat, diffuse lighting.

- I have revised some of the wall edges, bevelling where appropriate (and where it won't mess up the UV mapping) and smoothing in other cases.  Whether this is sufficient or whether the UV map requires rejigging depends again on the shooting schedule.  With so much to do I can't spend much time fixing things that won't be seen.  This is true of the wall texture resolution as well, if a shot does show a section of wall in foreground I will revise the texture for that part only, so rendering time does not suffer.

- The floor texture issue in the second render above is a moire effect, caused by interference between two dissimilar patterns.  This will be reduced in the final renders with full AA and render accuracy settings.

Re additional props, absolutely the more the merrier.  I really need to move on to other rooms in the base (airlock, corridor & hub, habitat etc.) as they have been mentioned in the existing storyboard, and the control room needs more work as well, particularly since that's where the bulk of the action happens.

EDIT

The seat texture and shape was always a place holder and it always annoyed me, had to redevelop them.  The texture will need dirtying up a bit.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Modeler_in_the_Myst on January 31, 2012, 04:03:01 pm

In contrast to the smears and coffee rings on the table surfaces, the seat cushions look too clean  in my opinion.
It also makes them look rather samey.
EDit: *blush* re-read your post, yeah, I see now your planning to change that. All right then.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: $imon on January 31, 2012, 05:29:05 pm

Hey Ensoniq.. I like the tables a lot better now, but I have to agree that the seats do not match too well. They look a bit like they are taken from a 70's diner instead of a space station 200 years from now.
I know you're going a bit for a used- and nothing-too-fancy look, but I think you should try to incorporate some elements that are futuristic. Maybe I've watched some movies that are a bit over-futuristic, but I think the designs would be a bit more stylized and futuristic looking. (maybe a bit in the direction of http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/16600000/Moon-sam-rockwell-16677357-500-208.jpg from Moon? )
I guess what I'm trying to say is that your materials look a bit rough and heavy, whereas if it all had to be shipped billions of miles from earth, I think they would design things a bit smarter using lighter materials  instead of heavy cushioned couches, rough metals for walls, heavy oven/stoves? etc. And maybe a bit more lighter, slicker and compacter things that have been invented in the 200 years from now?

I like the addition of some personal belongings on the wall, but the pictures look a bit forced.. I'm sure you were going to change that still though.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Modeler_in_the_Myst on January 31, 2012, 05:46:31 pm

One possible source of inspiration for a good 'look' for a space outpost is the Sean Connery movie, Outland. Ignoring the primitive computers and 70's fashion, it really looks how I personally would expect a space outpost to look, gritty and functional, like an oil rig.
A place to work, not to live.
A little detail but noticeable all the same is to maybe change the inside lip of the mugs to a smoother curve. Right now it looks too sharp. The plate might also benefit from a few more polygons or a subdivision.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on February 01, 2012, 02:54:32 am

Thanks guys, all very good points.  As far as possible the Triton base will have been constructed from locally sourced materials, this being by far the cheapest way to construct something like this.  The walls of the 'bunker' section of the base, where these rooms are, are made from a concrete-type material, possibly made from mixing carbon fibres (produced from the hydrocarbon-rich surface layers that give Triton it's pinkish hue) with water (also abundant in frozen form) that has been chemically modified to raise the melting temperature.  Water/fibre based concrete has been shown to have properties eminently suitable to construction of this type; it's crushing resistance is not as strong as concrete but its tensile strength is significantly better (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pykrete).

I totally agree re the interior fittings being quite heavy and I dithered on this point considerably before committing to these models.  While we are trying to stick to 'science-fact' rather than sci-fi as far as possible with this series, it is important that the audience understand the industrial nature of the base.  The image from Moon looks to me like a present-day dentist's office... while this may well be the industrial look of the future it doesn't convey the concept of 'industrial' at all.  I based the design concepts for the galley equipment from those facilities on modern naval and commercial ships, my thinking was that this sort of equipment must be extremely reliable since replacement would be astronomically expensive.  I found it very difficult to combine 'futuristic' + 'well used' + 'lightly made' + 'robust & reliable' so I pretty much fell back on well used and reliable, these being the most prominent points in the design brief.

Regarding the seat, although to a certain extent I wouldn't expect seats to change all that much over time (since human backsides will pretty much stay the same in that period) I agree regarding materials and construction techniques.  Possibly the seat fabric would have been shipped without stuffing, the padding being produced locally from expanded hydrocarbon-sourced plastic foam.  In this case the cushioning might follow a far more basic design rather than the current upholstered look.  I will revise the cushioning shortly, I have an idea that might work ok.

The pictures on the walls are a start, really.  The plan is to put many more things on the walls, like kids drawings, posters, calendars, cartoons, whatever; the sort of thing people stick on the walls to remind them of home.  The problem is the time it takes to construct and map this sort of stuff is incredibly restrictive, the existing photos represent about 5 or 6 hours of work.  The shooting schedule has not yet been finalised and it could well be that there are no actual shots in the galley area at all (its original idea was to show 'more rooms' beyond the control room, basically just background detail).  There are other areas I need to move on to, I figured I'd rearrange and add more details as required by the shots... if it won't be seen there's no point modelling it!

I remember Outland well (with the explosive head-swells!), unfortunately there's not a lot of interior imagery available.  The design inspiration for much of the other interior spaces is probably most like the Nostromo from Alien, though perhaps less deliberately oppressive and 'drippy'.  You're quite right re the integrity of the cup and plate MITM, these models were originally only going to be seen high on a shelf so the accuracy/speed balance was a bit heavy on the 'speed' side.  I will replace these with finer models, and probably with a metallic rather than ceramic appearance.

Sorry about the text wall, I have been working on nothing else for a couple of months now and it seems I can carry on about it indefinitely!!  Thanks again for the feedback and I'll have some revised images up soon.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on February 03, 2012, 04:19:59 am

Revised upholstery method.  Crockery models revised for greater integrity, material still ceramic at this stage due to similar mug seen in live action footage, may be changed later.  More live action is being started soon along with shooting schedules so at this stage I am moving on to other rooms.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: Modeler_in_the_Myst on February 03, 2012, 10:00:35 am

Ooh, I like it. Maybe make the walls darker so the seats stand out more, lightening up the door a little as well for greater contrast, but now it looks MUCH more unified.

Title: Re: Trans-Neptune - the Web Series
Post by: dwsel on February 06, 2012, 02:40:41 pm

Quote from: ENSONIQ5 on January 29, 2012, 12:57:13 am

Re additional props, absolutely the more the merrier.  I really need to move on to other rooms in the base (airlock, corridor & hub, habitat etc.) as they have been mentioned in the existing storyboard, and the control room needs more work as well, particularly since that's where the bulk of the action happens.

A lamp for bedroom/living area.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 04, 2012, 01:07:13 am

Well, folks... in a regroup on this project... and name has changed to "Mission Backup Earth"....

Check this! Ensoniq5's work on the interior control room of the Triton Base... combined with a rough attempt of incorporating a live actor by one of our other team specialists.

&feature=player_embedded

Yes, things are a bit distorted, but I think it's really fun how he's brought her into the scene for a rough go.

NOTE! The entire scene is 3D, modelled in anim8or and finished in Carrara... only the girl herself is "live action".

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 04, 2012, 05:44:58 am

Hannu does some amazing composition work, hey Arik!  Great to see some of these otherwise sterile shots starting to come to life.  I've let Hannu know that I can quickly render out stills with camera angles more closely matching the live action, rather than slicing and dicing the backgrounds.

dwsel: Sorry for taking so long to respond!  Thanks for the lamp model, it will be put to good use once the rest of the base is modelled.  The current priority is modelling the exterior and bridge interior of the interplanetary transport ship, so we can deliver the shots required for the trailer.  Pop over to the Mission Backup Earth page on Wreckamovie ( http://www.wreckamovie.com/missionbackupearth ) to see the current task lists, all contributions are gratefully received (and will be credited).

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: ianross on April 04, 2012, 06:05:46 am

Great work.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 04, 2012, 03:53:33 pm

I think what is really cool is how Hannu effectively made the woman look like she was almost a part of the original animation... she almost looks CG .... sort of an interesting side-effect in his efforts ...

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: davdud101 on April 05, 2012, 11:14:30 am

Hold on, is this gonna be live-action?!!?? Cuz I finally mustered up the courage to check out he IndieGoGo page and watch the video. So it's like... Anim8or-modelled stuff with greenscreened peoples in it?

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 05, 2012, 12:16:52 pm

that's exactly what it is, David... all this time and you didn't know?

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: davdud101 on April 05, 2012, 12:21:06 pm

Gotta admit, I hadn't been following the project. I guess I time to start hanging out in this thread! :)

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 05, 2012, 12:59:58 pm

ohhh wait... how'd you get on the team email list?  hmmmm.... ;)

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 15, 2012, 04:55:07 am

These WIP shots of the Nikola Tesla are modelled and rendered in Anim8or, the final animations will be rendered in Carrara for speed.  Materials have not been decided in most cases and much modelling remains to be done.

The first shot shows the redesigned bridge exterior, the structure altered to allow side windows. The alignment of the bridge is at 90° to the rest of the decks and an access tube runs through each deck and ultimately down the centre of the spine to the engine rooms.

The second shot is an early WIP of the bridge interior. The main instrumentation graphics are in place, switch gear, controls, overhead graphics panels etc. remain to be built.

The control stations are, from left to right, Navigation, Command Pilot, Pilot (essentially co-pilot) and Engineering/Operations. The central feature is the access hatch to the central crawl tube and to the avionics/data processing bays below the bridge (this will undergo further modelling to make it look more like a hatch and less like a storm-water drain!). Interior surfaces are yet to be textured and several layers of further detail will be added.

The display graphics take a long time to construct, these are the result of about 20 hours work and are based on a combination of ship controls and those seen on the space shuttle. Certain areas will be animated such as attitude gimbal and scanner displays.

The ship is still missing a lot of external parts, mainly the 5 massive fuel tanks (3 along the top of the spine, 2 below), the lander vehicle (below the spine in the gap where a 6th fuel tank would be), and the cargo container pods down each side of the spine.  Along with these will be communications tower/dish, manipulator arm(s), additional habitation pods, and of course texturing and bump-mapping.  Some of these parts are under construction by other members of the team, check out http://www.wreckamovie.com/missionbackupearth if you want to join.

All comments, crits, submissions etc. are, as always, gratefully accepted.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Raxx on April 16, 2012, 05:24:20 pm

Excellent work so far ENSONIQ5, I really like what you've done so far. I'm not some space tech-savvy guy so I can't offer any real crits that are worthwhile. Do you intend on separating the interior from the exterior at some point for easier handling?

Looking forward to updates. Maybe when you're getting closer to a finished state with the textures and such, I can offer some useful crits ;)

I joined the production. Can't promise anything (like usual).

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 16, 2012, 06:00:31 pm

Cheers Raxx.  The interior and exterior will be separated when moved over to Carrara for texturing and rendering, they are actually separate models but I have kept them in the same scale and put them together just for the shot above.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 16, 2012, 08:25:04 pm

Kewl... We have Ensoniq5, $imon, Ericaug, ian ross, Davdude... and our latest anim8or community members dwsel and Raxx onboard!  Did I miss anyone?

Attached, the cargo containers and part of the connector apparatus I am working on... I will soon have the armatures for connecting to the main truss of the ship, plus a 3rd cargo container style that is an open framework with a cylindrical tank mounted inside - for gas and liquid transport.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: ENSONIQ5 on April 16, 2012, 10:51:41 pm

Sorry, my post was a bit rushed this morning!  Good on ya for joining the team Raxx, regardless of your expertise in the genre your all-round skills with modelling, animating etc. are highly regarded by all and your input will be greatly appreciated.

Arik, I am sure you have thought of this already but just in case, the armature mechanism will need to include some way of being transferred from the frame attached to the Nikola Tesla to the lander, in such as way that the 6-pack of modules can rotate to allow individual offloading onto the deck of the loader vehicle.  You might have a totally better idea on how to handle the containers, in which case let me know because I plan to start work on the lander vehicle shortly so I can finish the docking area.  Also, I love the idea of the frame-work container with the pressure tank inside, great concept and will help to break up the regularity of the containers.

Title: Re: Mission Backup Earth - the TV Series (hopefully)
Post by: Arik_the_Red on April 16, 2012, 11:46:07 pm

Tony,

The armature idea I have has a single arm coming off of the ship's frame, and then a rotating mechanism from which 6 hinged arms branch out to each individual three-pronged grips that connect to the cargo containers.

If you wish, I can send you the 3-prong mechanisms for incorporating into the lander's hold. The core can be taken and modified into a mechanism for gripping the side attachment disks, too.